Marijuana Use Doesn’t Impact Renal Function in Kidney Donors

A recent study conducted on marijuana using and non-marijuana using kidney donors shows no difference in renal function. The study also indicated that there are no postoperative differences in function in the two groups. Researchers took a look at living kidney donor transplants spanning from January 2000 through May 2016.

Based upon personal disclosures and the results of drug screenings, the donors were placed into two groups, according to Healio. The average number of exposures to marijuana annually among the marijuana-using group was 92. The number of marijuana exposures ranged from 1 to 400.

“The purpose of this study was to determine the consequences of using living kidney donors with a history of marijuana use, and if doing so would compromise either donor or recipient outcomes,” the researchers said.

As the research concluded no difference was found between marijuana users and non-users.

“If current trends persist into the future, then there will be a further increase in both recreational and medicinal marijuana use,” mentioned Dr. David Ruckle. “For this reason, the growing population of marijuana users will become an even more significant segment of the potential living kidney donor pool. Subsequently, consideration of marijuana using kidney donors could increase the donor pool.”